Sonja Alimović1, Ana Katušić, Vlatka Mejaški-Bošnjak. 1. Mali dom, Zagreb, Day Care Centre for Rehabilitation of Children with Visual Impairment and Multiple Disabilities, Zagreb, Croatia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Children with perinatal brain damage have a high prevalence of visual impairment. Stimulation of vision at a critical period can encourage brain plasticity and the recovery of impaired function. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate when is the critical period for visual stimulation in children with perinatal brain damage. METHODS: We compared 35 children within the first eight months of life (median age = 4 months) to 35 children aged between eight and thirty months (median age = 15 months), all with perinatal brain damage. All the children were attending an early intervention program at Mali dom, Zagreb, a rehabilitation centre for children with visual impairment. We compared the results from baseline and follow-up assessments of visual functions (grating acuity and contrast sensitivity). We also compared differences in change scores between the two groups. RESULTS: Our results have shown that children who commence a visual stimulation program within the first eight months of life had more improvement in both visual functions. This improvement is statistically significant in visual acuity (p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the importance of starting a visual stimulation program within the first eight months after birth.
BACKGROUND:Children with perinatal brain damage have a high prevalence of visual impairment. Stimulation of vision at a critical period can encourage brain plasticity and the recovery of impaired function. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to investigate when is the critical period for visual stimulation in children with perinatal brain damage. METHODS: We compared 35 children within the first eight months of life (median age = 4 months) to 35 children aged between eight and thirty months (median age = 15 months), all with perinatal brain damage. All the children were attending an early intervention program at Mali dom, Zagreb, a rehabilitation centre for children with visual impairment. We compared the results from baseline and follow-up assessments of visual functions (grating acuity and contrast sensitivity). We also compared differences in change scores between the two groups. RESULTS: Our results have shown that children who commence a visual stimulation program within the first eight months of life had more improvement in both visual functions. This improvement is statistically significant in visual acuity (p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the importance of starting a visual stimulation program within the first eight months after birth.